Japan Catholic News
September 2007
MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY IN JAPAN MARK MOTHER TERESA ANNIVERSARY
Catholic Weekly, September 16, 2007
During her three visits to Japan, Mother Teresa averred that there
is hidden in materially rich Japan a "poverty of the heart" that
is more serious than the destitution of India. Now in Japan there are
16 men and women of the Missionaries of Charity order that she founded
working in Tokyo, Nagoya and Oita.
Since they began their work in Japan in 1978, the men's community has
based its activities in Tokyo's Sanya district where day laborers and
the homeless gather. Presently, there are four Brothers in the community
who, dressed in jeans and beat-up shirts or T-shirts, fit in well with
the guests and volunteers who come to their house.
Every Tuesday at their house at Nihonzutsumi in Taito ward, the brothers
with 10 or more volunteers run a soup kitchen that serves some 450
portions. The room where they serve the food can hold some 70 guests
at a time. In the same house on Saturdays, meals and showers are available
as well as a place to just relax and sip tea.
Though some guests come with a friend, most eat alone and then leave.
Some get back in line for extra helpings. Some, after eating, remain
to help out.
Brother Kim Yonsu, the superior of the community, said, "Looking
at the elderly men of Sanya, we understand that Jesus is suffering
in them."
Telling of his own experience of being firmly convinced that he is
loved by God, Brother Kim said, "Through action, we wish to witness
to the men of Sanya that they themselves are loved, are beings who
are valued."
Inori Morooka said he feels that his volunteering to help at the soup
kitchen is "an expression of love for God."
The Missionaries of Charity Sisters arrived in Shiomi, Tokyo, in 1981
and opened a home for unwed mothers. Later, they moved to Shirogane
and then to Nishi Arai Honmachi in Adachi ward where they currently
live and serve. There the Sisters run a shelter for women fleeing domestic
violence by a spouse or partner.
Presently four Sisters live alongside the women they have welcomed.
They also conduct a soup kitchen, provide a meal service for the elderly,
visit families and teach catechism at the Adachi Church.
Like the Brothers, the Sisters never cease to smile. They make pleasant
conversation with the people who come as volunteers and discuss the
faith.
"As Mother said, our lifestyle is a sign of God's love," noted
Sister Chrysoston, the superior of the convent. "For Jesus to
be manifested through our action takes time, I think, but the volunteers
really give very well."
Masatoshi Nakamura, who is well versed in problems of the homeless,
helps with the charity meals provided under the Sisters' auspices in
Toshima ward's Minami Ikebukuro Park. It is he who responds to complaints
from local shops and does the preparatory work for the food distribution.
Speaking of the Sisters and the volunteers, he said, "They don't
preach. They simply make the hungry their number one concern. I think
Mother's spirit lives in them."
On Sept. 5, the tenth anniversary of Mother Teresa's death, the members
of the two communities participated in a concelebrated memorial Mass
led by Cardinal Seiichi Shirayanagi and Archbishop Takeo Okada at the
Tokyo Cathedral. The church was almost full.
At the close of the celebration, Sister Chrysoston said she was touched
by Mother's appeal, "Christ is starving for our love." Sister
said she has bound herself to action for the sake of "healing
that thirst."
When he was archbishop of Tokyo, Cardinal Shirayanagi invited Mother
Teresa to Japan, saying, "There are poor people here, so please
come." He said he valued the Missionaries of Charity and others
as "people who are witnessing to God not with words but with actions."
When a reporter asked the leaders of the two communities their thoughts
on the tenth anniversary of Mother's death, they both gave exactly
the same answer: "We feel Mother is still right here."
YOUTH ENCOUNTER GOD, SELVES IN SONS AND DAUGHTERS PROGRAM
Catholic Weekly, September 9, 2007
Sons and Daughters Encounter (SADE), a program for youth lead by young
people and aimed at experiencing encounter with oneself and reexamining
oneself, was held Aug. 11-13 at a rural facility belonging to the Myoko
Church in Niigata.
Each year, SADE is conducted in answer to requests from young people
in the area. This year, as last year, Franciscan Father Tarcisio Canducci
facilitated the program. It was jointly sponsored by the Tsuchizaki
Church in Akita and the Takada Church of Niigata. Twenty-three junior-
and senior high school and university students as well as others from
both prefectures attended and their parents also joined in as staff.
The attendees were divided into four groups that included students
of all age levels as well as working people. For three days and two
nights, the groups discussed "Meeting yourself, meeting God, unity
of the family, creating a future family."
The group facilitators were also young people who had spent three months
preparing for the sessions by exploring the issues themselves.
Explaining the process, Fr. Canducci said, "Young people begin
with the fashion of the times or unbelief, loss of self-confidence
and so forth -- a condition of not being gently accustomed to
themselves. Listening to the leaders or their companions, they reexamine
themselves and become able to participate in the sharing of experiences.
Then through the sharing, they come to discover their real selves deep
in their hearts. So to speak, they go from having closed hearts to
having open hearts."
Tomoya Ishizaki is an 11th grader who was attending SADE for the fourth
time, this time as a leader.
"SADE's themes are extremely intimate," he said. "They
are problems that young people cannot avoid and pass by. The courage
to disclose yourself and to trust others are necessary. In the midst
of sharing these two aspects, I've found good values with respect to
myself and the great love of God."
Ishizaki said that though his mother Youko attended as staff, his participation
was his own idea. After suffering from bullying when a middle school
student, he attended SADE, and encountered God. Now, he said, he wants
to continue holding SADE for the sake of other young people.
The parents who attend as staff prepare the three days' meals, but "parent-child
encounter" is also a characteristic theme of SADE. The parents
write a letter in advance concerning things done in the past what they
want to apologize to their children for or had wanted to explain to
them. Then during the program sessions, each one gives the letter to
his or her child.
Fr. Canducci said, "The children are surprised by a letter from
their parents and go off alone to read them. When they learn their
parents' deepest thoughts, you can hear them crying. Then on the last
day, the children write a letter from the heart to the parents. This
becomes an experience that parents and children can never forget."
In addition to the group sessions and letters, there were short skits
on the Bible or on problems of young people in present-day society
presented by the separate groups and a campfire.
Twelfth grader Shin Sato, a parishioner of the Takada Church, commented
on what he has gained from the three times he has participated in SADE.
"This time my father was ill and I had to prepare for getting
a job, so I hesitated to attend. But I really feel it was good that
I was able to take a look at myself, asking why I am a Christian and
how I live that faith. Also it is good to know that I have many companions
who know God and will always be connected with me through Jesus."
CHURCH AND LOCAL GROUP HOLD RECONSTRUCTION FESTIVAL IN QUAKE-STRICKEN
CITY
Catholic Weekly, September 2, 2007
 A little more than a month after the Niigata Prefecture Chuetsu Offshore
Earthquake of July 16 caused extensive damage in Kashiwazaki city,
the Kashiwazaki Catholic Church and Kashiwazaki Catholic Shirayuri
Kindergarten, along with the local Yanagibashi Neighborhood Association,
held an Aug. 25 reconstruction festival.
The festival was intended to encourage the many people still living
in dangerous buildings, unable to afford demolition expenses while
the restoration of basic daily activities and the demolition of quake-damaged
buildings continues.
The slogan of the festival was, "Don't give up! Kashiwazaki will
shine! Happy at Shirayuri Kindergarten!"
One hundred and fifty kindergarten children gathered for the festival
along with 400 others including their guardians, neighborhood residents,
and members of the parish. Festival-goers enjoyed local music groups,
dances, and Obon festivities, while steamed rice dishes were provided
using disaster-relief supplies of glutinous mochi rice.
In his greeting, Franciscan Father Leo Bassi, pastor of the parish
and principal of the kindergarten, encouraged the attendees, saying, "I'm
pleased that the children are getting over the earthquake that occurred
early in this summer vacation. For the adults, I know that economic
problems will be difficult, but please don't give up."
Finally, the children lined up to pray for recovery in front of a statue
of Mary displaying the date of the earthquake.
According to Fr. Leo, more than three million yen was sent from all
across Japan starting immediately after the earthquake.
"It just brings tears to my eyes," he said. "Donations
of ten thousand yen, a hundred thousand yen arrived without so much
as a name attached."
After this was added to monetary assistance from the parish, families
whose houses were entirely destroyed received 300 thousand yen in sympathy,
while those whose houses sustained less severe damage received 100
thousand yen.
A program to provide meals began at the church when Kyoko Ito, vice
principal of the kindergarten, said, "Something must be done for
this area." According to Ito, from July 18 to Aug. 3, the program
provided 130 meals each day.
"At first, it was only lunches, but, as natural gas was unavailable
for cooking, people eventually started coming for dinner, too, and
we had to prepare about 200 meals," she said.
When their summer vacation began, middle school students began to help,
and support came as well from places like Nagaoka and Tokamachi Churches.
The efforts of the many volunteers were a godsend, said Ito.
"They stayed in a hotel near the station, where even running water
wasn't available. It was really impressive," she said.
On the other hand, there was also danger of thieves masquerading as
volunteers. For operations that might be conducted in the future, Ito
suggested, "It would be good if there were some badge or armband,
something uniform throughout the country, provided for people coming
from churches. People could feel safer dealing with them. Couldn't
Caritas Japan make something like that for us?"
FREE CLINIC MARKS 100,000 PATIENT VISITS
Catholic Weekly, September 16, 2007
 For 23 years in Tokyo's Sanya district, a non-profit organization
begun under Catholic auspices has provided free medical examinations
and treatment for the homeless and others. On Aug. 20, the
Sanyu Clinic welcomed its 100,000th patient.
The patient, a 63-year-old man who lives in the nearby Tamahime Park,
made his first visit to the clinic at 11:00 that morning. After he
received treatment for high blood pressure, he was given some snacks,
two telephone cards and a towel to mark his record-making status.
The Sanyukai, the volunteer organization that runs the clinic, began
in 1984 to serve the homeless in the Sanya district in northeast Tokyo,
a neighborhood noted for its day laborers and homeless. It became an
NPO (registered not-for-profit organization) in 2002. Many of the volunteers
are Catholics. All of the funding comes from donations, and more than
170 volunteers conduct the clinic, a soup kitchen and a drop-in center.
Medicine alone costs around 1.5 million yen each month.
The Sanyu Clinic is open from Monday through Friday and on two Saturdays
each month. About 10 volunteer doctors provide various specialized
services including internal medicine, surgical treatment, dermatology
and psychiatry. Each day, some 30 people come for treatment.
Sister Reiko Niguo of the Sisters of Charity of Nevers has helped at
the clinic for five years. According to her, over that period, alcohol-related
illnesses have decreased.
"They don't have jobs, so they don't have money to drink."
She added that there are also people who eat only once a day, so they
can't take after-meal medicines.
On Sept. 5, Dr. Nobui Ishimatsu, chief of emergency and critical care
at St. Luke's International Hospital in Tokyo, conducted medical exams
accompanied by an intern. Ishimatsu, a Catholic, often brings along
his coworkers, interns, and medical students because, he said, "I
want more people to see this place."
On that day, a gray-haired man who had not spoken for four months and
seemed to have started speaking again only recently said abruptly after
receiving some little things that the clinic had provided him, "Everyone,
thank you so much. You've taken good care of me."
Ishimatsu began volunteering at the Sanyu Clinic 12 years ago, after
a happening upon an ad in the Catholic Weekly recruiting volunteer
doctors.
"I feel that sometimes here we do things that a hospital organization
can't do, or are starting to forget to do. There are people who visit
wanting to be heard, who come forgetting their medicine," he said.
Beyond Sanyukai's free medical exams and treatment, the organization
provides life and wellness consultations, places to rest and prepare
food, outreach programs that bring simple food to the homeless and
free lodging assistance for those needing temporary care.
Maryknoll Sister Rita Burdzy, a nurse who welcomed the first patient
as well as the 100,000th, said, "Here, there's the essence of
humanity, and there is much to learn. I love it."
Sanyukai's director, Quebec Foreign Mission Society Deacon Jean Le
Beau has been part of the group since its beginnings 23 years ago.
Wearing a towel under the baseball cap on his head, he commented, "This
place has gone from being an area of day laborers to a social welfare
area. It sure has changed."
Togitake Ishizuka, who runs the Sanyukai office, is a parishioner at
the Tama Church in Tokyo. He said that lately it has become common
to have visits from people in their 20s who sleep in net cafes.
"Interacting with such young people and the elderly who need nursing
care has become a new task," he said.
Last year's expenses reached around 30 million yen, resulting in about
a 2 million yen deficit. Contributions of rice, umeboshi, furikake,
takuan, seaweed, canned goods, razors, soap, laundry detergent and
such things are always needed.
Ishizuka said, "In spite of all that, the fact that these services
have been able to continue for 23 years is a great thing."
For inquiries, please call the Sanyukai at 03-3874-1269.
CHURCH 'BRIDGE' CONNECTS FILIPINO KIDS WITH THEIR JAPANESE DADS
UCA News, September 14, 2007
CARMEN, Philippines (UCAN) --The other fair-skinned children with narrow
eyes frolicked in the parish hall while their mothers continued to
register them, but 16-year-old Philip Shimazaki sat alone.
The 15 or so youngsters were brought in on Sept. 7 for a session of
the National Registration of Japanese-Filipino Children (NRJFC) in
the hall next to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Carmen, a town
in Davao del Norte province, 979 kilometers southeast of Manila. They
were being registered as children of Japanese fathers and Filipinas.
The youngest was 11 months old.
"My mother lives in Japan and visits me every two years," Shimazaki
told UCA News, but he admitted that he does not know what kind of work
she does there.
Shimazaki said he hopes his father, whom he has seen only in photos,
will eventually get to know him through a national program led by the
Center for Japanese Filipino Children's Assistance (CJFCA), a humanitarian
group. One thing he wonders about, he said, is "how it feels to
be embraced by a father."
Cristelito Abadilla of Tagum diocese's social-action ministry told
UCA News NRJFC helps young Filipino Nikkei-jin (Japanese children)
get recognized by their fathers. Abadilla said the two-month countrywide
registration campaign ends on Sept. 30, and the parents of most children
are Japanese men and Filipinas who went to Japan as entertainers from
the 1970s to the present.
Abadilla said at least 200 women are expected to register their children
by the deadline, though there is no record of how many women from Tagum
diocese work as entertainers in Japan. The diocese comprises Compostela
Valley province and Davao del Norte, except the area south of Lasang
River and Samal Island. Catholics account for 75 percent of the 1,476,559
people there, living among other Christians, Muslims and indigenous
people with native beliefs.
CJFCA, which registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission
in 2006, works with government, Church, NGO and civic groups to help
an estimated 200,000 Japanese-Filipino children get their fathers'
recognition. Abadilla, a Davao region project coordinator, said the
aim is to help children enjoy rights guaranteed in the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In Abadilla's view, the Church is like a "bridge." The Tokyo-based
Japan Home Lawyers' Association is to represent the children in parental-recognition
proceedings in Japan, he said, "and with this, the child can demand
financial support from the Japanese father, which is the child's very
right."
He added that CJFCA has assured him and the children's families that
documentation and other legal services will be free of charge. But
Father Noel Refamonte, Mount Carmel's assistant pastor, insists "the
Church does not approve of or condone the Japayuki's occupation," using
the term for women in Japan's sex industry, who typically come from
impoverished places in Asia.
He told UCA News some are "just victims of a hard life" in
an "unfortunate situation," with a "lingering social
problem" that the Church needs to "alleviate." However,
Abadilla maintains that the stigma is another reason to help "impoverished" returning
women.
Rosalyn Reyes, 26, stopped dancing in a nightclub in Fukuoka City,
western Japan, when she was four months pregnant. Still "heavy" with
her boyfriend's child, she came home to live with her parents, Reyes
told UCA News during the registration, as her baby, now 11 months old,
sat on her lap.
Without work and with her savings "almost depleted," she
said, "I thank the Church" for the documentation program
and its efforts to get child support from Japanese fathers.
Abadilla said NRJFC tapped Tagum for the project because the diocese
has "enough manpower" and "can easily disseminate information
to the communities."
By Sept. 7, 111 Japanese-Filipino children had registered from Tagum
and neighboring Mati diocese, which covers Davao Oriental province.
KOREAN PRIEST IN HIROSHIMA LEARNS VALUE OF TEAM MINISTRY
Catholic Weekly, September
2, 2007
In recent years, there has been an influx to Japan of young missionaries
from various Asian countries including India, Indonesia, Korea and
Vietnam. At the Okayama Minami and Tamano Churches, Hiroshima diocesan
priest Father Kiyoharu Ogi, 56, and Father Kim Ki Yon, a 33-year-old
priest of Korea's Pusan diocese, work with each other as missionary
pastors.
Since Hiroshima diocese became a sister diocese with Korea's Pusan
diocese and the Philippines' Infanta diocese less than seven years
ago, the Korean diocese has regularly sent priests to Japan. Father
Kim is the fourth of these priests. Three who have completed their
five-year assignments have already returned to Korea, and a sixth priest
to be assigned from Pusan will arrive in Japan soon.
Father Kim came to Japan in 2004. He lived at Okayama Minami Church
for one year while attending a Japanese language school. He transferred
to the nearby Tamano Church in his second year, and began pastoral
work while studying with a tutor.
In the beginning, after starting his Japanese study, he worried about
making little progress.
"At that time, I wondered 'Where should I set my priorities? I
didn't come to study Japanese. I came to be a missionary.' At last,
I was set free from the pressure of language study."
As he did sermon preparation and the other work of a priest, Fr. Kim
became able to speak freely.
"Of course, there were times when Fr. Ogi and the parishioners
kindly corrected my Japanese. It's God's gift, because when God gives
us work, he gives together with it the ability to do it."
Originally, the Japanese language training was supposed to last two
years, but Father Kim started pastoral work one year early.
"Never doing my professional duties as a priest, only studying
as a student, it seemed like I would lose my identity as a priest.
I wanted to return to my work as a priest as quickly as possible, so
in the second year, I decided to study and minister together."
Now working as a pastoral team at both the Okayama Minami and Tamano
Churches, the two priests alternate celebrating Sunday Masses.
"At least once a week we eat together, and then we exchange information," Father
Ogi said.
When the two churches made a joint a pilgrimage to Nagasaki, they used
the experience as an opportunity to start having Masses together once
a month.
Father Kim explained, "Customarily, the hosting parish sings a
hymn after communion. Preparing the songs makes getting ready for the
next Mass fun."
Fr. Ogi said, "I'm bragging now, but I think we have a good working
relationship. We work together, and we're getting things done."
There are many differences in systems and culture between Korea and
Japan, but, Fr. Ogi said, "What's important is that we individual
priests are making positive steps."
"Father Ogi is an accepting person," Father Kim said. "He
also has a 'color' as a priest. I think there were times when I was
stubborn, but he's been patient with me on that, and still is."
Father Kim, who had worked as a priest for two years before he left
Korea, said, "My former idea of missionary work was that I would
take charge of a small parish and for better or for worse it would
all be my responsibility. Having come here, I've picked up the idea
of team ministry and my thinking has changed. Working together is important.
There are times when pastors particularly are rather bad at cooperating.
This is the same in Japan and Korea."
Comparing the Japanese and Korean Churches, Fr. Kim said, "If
you look for the differences, there's no limit to them. But if we look
at what we have in common, from there both Churches can take the first
steps in getting along better together."
KYOTO TEACHERS LEARN ABOUT SPIRIT OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION
Catholic Weekly, September 2, 2007
The Kyoto diocese sponsored a gathering of Catholic schools teachers
Aug. 8-9 at the Kawarachi Cathedral to deepen their understanding of
the Catholic spirit of education and to strengthen cooperation between
the schools and the diocese.
The Kyoto diocesan Catholic Schools Liaison Committee for Primary,
Middle- and Senior High School Principals held the first Kyoto Diocesan
Catholic Schools Faculty Training Meeting with Bishop Yoshinao Otsuka
and 14 school administrators and teachers.
One representative of each of the 11 Catholic schools in the diocese
took part in the gathering. The representatives, of whom only one was
Catholic, were teachers of subjects other than religion.
Participants said they have seen Bishop Otsuka at school anniversary
Masses and so forth, but had never talked directly with him.
"This is the first time I've seen the bishop without his hat (miter)," one
said.
Bp. Otsuka attended almost the entire two-day program, giving talks
and meeting the participants for private interviews.
A main focus of the gathering was an opportunity for teachers to share
ideas and experiences concerning the tensions they felt in working
at Catholic schools
One teacher said, "I feel anxious lest, because I am not a Catholic,
I might blurt out to students something opposed to Catholic teaching."
Another commented, "I thought that religious education is the
work of Sisters and Catholics, with our job being merely to support
them."
The bishop was asked various questions such as, "I do not understand
'the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.' Is the Holy Spirit God?" "What
does the (Catholic) school education committee do?" "What
does the bishop want for high school students?"
The founding organizations of all 11 schools were religious orders,
but because of the advancing age of religious and the decline in vocations,
six schools have principals who are lay Catholics and two have principals
who are not Christians. The various realities which they face differ,
but they share a common problem, who will do religious education?
Rakusei Junior- and Senior High School principal Takaya Anami, who
organized the meeting, said, "Who is going to present a Catholic
spirit in place of the priests and Religious? We talk about the 'identity
crisis' in Catholic schools, but in fact, this meeting was the first
time most of these teachers became aware of the crisis. We hadn't expected
it, but we realized that an understanding of this problem had not permeated
us teachers."
Anami added that schools have concentrated upon student enrollment
and course guidance, but through listening to Bp. Otsuka's talks the
participants realized the basic elements of Catholic education and
their role in presenting them.
"We understood that even if they cannot do religious education,
non-Christian teachers can create a religious atmosphere," he
said. "There are many things non-Christian faculty can do. As
we increase the number of like-thinking associates we can together
shoulder the vocation of a Catholic school."
In the past, there has been an annual meeting of school principals
in the Kyoto Diocese, but there were no gatherings for individual faculty
members. This was the first gathering of faculty from all 11 schools.
Commenting on the results of the meeting, Anami said, "If we have
another five or six such meetings, we can look hard at each of our
schools and develop a stronger consciousness of what being a Catholic
school means."
Bp. Otsuka expressed a willingness to meet with Catholic school teachers
to help them understand the vocation of Catholic education.
"I will go anytime to any Catholic school for the purpose of training," he
said.
CARITAS JAPAN REPS VISIT TWO COUNTRIES IN AFRICA
Catholic Weekly, September 9,
2007
Representatives of Caritas Japan, the aid organization of the Catholic
Church in Japan, visited Rwanda and Uganda Aug. 22-25 to examine aid
projects and needs in the African countries.
International Desk committee member Father Roger Vanzila Munsi, SVD,
and secretariat member Sawako Inae visited Rwanda and inspected a project
that supports orphaned children.
In Rwanda, the wounds of 1994 inter-tribal massacres in which as many
as 800,000 were killed remain and the reconciliation of the citizens
with each other is a major task. Even now every year during the April-to-July
period when the massacres took place, all the citizens wear mourning
clothes.
In this context, Caritas Japan is continuing its relief work centering
chiefly on children who lost their parents in the massacre. Thirty-six
orphaned children live in four "Family Homes" under the care
of women who lost their husbands. Two hundred forty children from 60
families receive support while living with their siblings until they
become self-supporting.
Inae explained that achieving self-support, though, is difficult.
"At high school graduation the relief ends, but if they do not
graduate from college they will not be able to get a job. However there
are no funds to support all of them that far," she said.
Children who have lost their parents in the massacres and others suffer
even now from "flashbacks," suddenly recurring memories of
their trauma. Hence long-term aid is necessary. The Caritas Japan investigation
was conducted to determine how much help can be given toward helping
the children achieve some degree of security.
Caritas Japan Secretary Father Daisuke Narui, SVD, and Aine Ono, a
member of the Caritas secretariat, visited Uganda and investigated
an agricultural development assistance program supported by Caritas
Japan.
This project has several elements. Groups have been formed in local
areas to engage in agricultural training, provision of agricultural
tools, seeds etc. There is also lifestyle improvement by means of toilets,
cooking stoves, storage shelves etc. A system of small-scale loans
has begun in 16 dioceses of the nation, with Caritas Japan responsible
in three of them.
Commenting on her visit to Mbarara diocese, Ono said, "On land
fit for agriculture, banana growing is the focus. They have rich resources,
but because of the civil war etc, the entire country's way of living
is impoverished."
CATHOLICS AT YOKOHAMA AIDS FORUM EXPLAIN CHURCH'S VIEW OF LIFE
Catholic Weekly, August 26, 2007
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, the
AIDS Action Committee and other sources, Japan is the world's only advanced
nation in which the number of AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) cases
is increasing. In addition the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases among
young people has become a serious social problem. Yet, these problems are still
not widely known.
Faced with this situation, the AIDS Culture Forum in Yokohama has been held every
year since 1994. This year, it was held for three days, beginning Aug. 3 at the
Kanagawa Prefectural Meeting Hall in Yokohama, and included more than 40 lectures,
workshops, exhibits, and other presentations designed to broaden HIV and AIDS
education by examining the problem from perspectives such as medical science,
health care, education, discrimination and human rights.
Seven groups acted as sponsors of the meeting. These included, among others,
the Catholic diocese of Yokohama, the Yokohama YWCA, the Yokohama Chamber of
Commerce AIDS Response Roundtable Conference and Yokohama's Inochi no denwa telephone
counseling service.
At the panel discussion, "Reflections on Religion and AIDS, Part 2," Bishop
Kazuo Koda of Tokyo Archdiocese and Buddhist priest Junya Furukawa of Jodo Shinshu
Hongwanji-ha Temple expressed their perspectives as religious leaders.
Dr. Shinya Iwamuro, the panel coordinator, mused, "In Catholicism, homosexuality
and condoms are forbidden, and sexual intercourse without the goal of conception
is forbidden. So I wondered whether Catholicism is a really religion which will
eliminate AIDS, and I have attended a Catholic AIDS study group."
Bishop Koda responded, "The core and foundation of Christian faith is that
God is the Father of all humankind, and that a human being is a precious existence
given life by the love and mercy of God. I would rather not make the question
of condoms (that is, whether they are right or wrong) a shallow yes-or-no issue.
What is most important is that we not look at each other as tools for lust, that
we accept our neighbors as they are, and treat them properly."
At the exhibition hall at the Forum, Caritas Japan also participated by distributing
pamphlets introducing the efforts of the HIV/AIDS Desk and churches. There were
cases of visitors asking, "Catholics can't have abortions, right?" The
staff explained the essentials of the matter, focusing on the importance of respect
for life.
A special lecture by Osamu Mizutani, famous as the "Night Patrol Professor," was
a highlight of the Forum. Mizutani walks the streets of Yokohama at night to
meet and counsel young people who spend the night there.
There were also workshops by HIV-positive people and groups active domestically
and internationally. Also, Kumiko Sakata, a Catholic and member of Raks Thai
Foundation, and who had temporarily returned from Thailand, introduced that country's
community-based responses to the AIDS problem.
Forum participant Akiko Suginami from the Seta Church in Tokyo emphasized the
need for initiatives rooted in a Catholic perspective, saying, "It is important
that we avoid the idea that AIDS education means condom education. Instead, we
need a real, 'living' education that helps us change our own awareness and lifestyle
while valuing the lives of others."
'BOMBED MARY' LEADS TORCHLIGHT PROCESSION IN NAGASAKI ATOMIC BOMB CEREMONY
Catholic Weekly, August 26, 2007
Nagasaki marked the 62nd anniversary of the Aug. 9, 1945, atomic bombing.
On the day before the anniversary, the Council of Religious Congregations
in Nagasaki held its annual memorial ceremony for bomb victims. On
Aug. 9, Nagasaki Archbishop Mitsuaki Takami led a peace service, and
the Junshin Junior- and Senior Girls' High School held a ceremony commemorating
victims from the school.
The Council of Religious Congregations in Nagasaki is a union of various
religious organizations that aims to develop and promote peace movements.
The Aug. 8 ceremony took place at the epicenter of the atomic explosion
in the Atomic Bomb Park. This year marked its 35th anniversary. Peace
prayers by the union's representatives formed the core of the ceremony.
The "Bombed Mary" joined the peace service for the first
time. It is part of a statue of Mary that used to be located on the
altar of the Urakami Cathedral. When the bombing collapsed the cathedral,
the head of the statue survived and was later discovered in the rubble.
It is now kept in a chapel built in commemoration of the 60th anniversary
of the bombing.
The Bombed Mary on a palanquin decorated with lights and accompanied
by torch-bearing marchers led a procession from Urakami Cathedral to
the Atomic Bomb Park. In the park, Bishop Ryoji Miyahara of Oita led
a concelebrated Mass for peace.
Another ceremony took place Aug. 9 at a cenotaph on the grounds of
Junshin Junior- and Senior Girls' High School. After a Mass in the
school chapel, students and staff placed flowers before a statue of
the Mother of Mercy, praying for the school's 214 bomb victims.
HIROSHIMA CHURCH MARKS A-BOMB ANNIVERSARY
Catholic Weekly, August 26, 2007
Hiroshima observed the 62nd anniversary of the atomic bomb Aug. 6.
In the morning, there was a memorial Mass for A-bomb victims. At 8:15,
the time of the bomb drop, the sound of the ringing of the bells of
the World Peace Memorial Church was matched by the call of cicadas.
Together with Christians from all over the country, Hiroshima Bishop
Atsumi Misue held peace observances from Aug. 5. That evening, over
700 people attended a march from Peace Park to the World Peace Memorial
Church, followed by a Mass for peace. The diocesan chancery reported
that at least 200 pilgrims from other dioceses took part in the observances.
In addition to Bp. Misue, four other bishops concelebrated the Mass.
They were Bishops Junichi Nomura of Nagoya, Yoshinao Otsuka of Kyoto,
Goro Matsuura of Osaka and Osamu Mizobe of Takamatsu. In addition,
two bishops of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Japan, Bishop Yutaka
Nakamura of Kobe and Bishop Shouji Igarashi of Kyushu, along with more
than 120 Anglican laity attended..
For a number of years, Hiroshima's peace events have been held in union
with the Anglican Episcopal Church of Japan and this year the Anglicans
for the first time called for attendance from their dioceses all over
the country. Anglican Bishop Nakamura said, "Informing
young people of the reality of over 60 years ago is essential, we thought,
and so we hold this observance. It is very good that so many have gathered."
Bp. Mizobe preached the homily at the Aug. 5 Mass, comparing the just-finished
peace march with the march of the martyrs of 17th century Arima, Kyoto,
Edo and Unzen. He stressed that then those who viewed the martyrs responded
with indifference or felt they were seeing something weird.
"The martyrs held their convictions as not able to be compromised.
Their determination was truly unflinching. Our peace march was probably
a little like sight-seeing," he said.
Furthermore, the bishop added, the marchers' predecessors persisted
in nonviolence and walked in perfect order, not making bones about
anything with anybody. "We must look back and consider with what
intention we marched."
He emphasized the connection between the march, eternal life and day-to-day
life. "Our journey is linked to eternal life. The procession is
the expression of our will to keep building up peace. So after today's
march, we must proceed in a dedicated way in our various walks of life."
Two victims of the 1945 bombing, Fumiko Kato, a parishioner of the
Gion Church, and Father Jou Hayazoe, an 81-year-old Hiroshima diocesan
priest, spoke to participants.
Fr. Hayazoe, who also spoke last year, explained that many victims
have been unwilling to share their experience. "People who have
suffered injury and do nothing about act out of thoughts of self-reproach
and cannot find a voice."
"However," he added, "we have a responsibility to speak," so
survivors have begun to tell their stories.
Last year, the speakers prepared a three-page manuscript. This year
it was 20 pages long.
"Unconsciously, we were hiding the experience. That's how much
A-bombed persons do not want to write about that hateful thing."
He said that while the survivors prepared their statement, they often
wept.
After telling about the horrible scenes they saw when they entered
Hiroshima for rescue work on Aug. 8, 1945, the survivors made an appeal.
"The other day someone died at the age of only 63 whose white-blood
cell count had become zero because of A-bomb radiation. There are people
who say, 'To be hit by an A-bomb or two is nothing to speak of,' but
is that so? It's bad, isn't it, to destroy trust? If we do not
make person-to-person communication such that people can agree, 'Yes,
it is bad,' we think that we will be caught up into having a war. In
the [Vatican II] Declaration on [the Church in] the Modern World too,
we read, 'All of us on the globe are brothers and sisters.' Because
we must testify to this, it is a fantastically important thing to lead
a lifestyle which goes along with this testimony."
KAGOSHIMA WELCOMES MISSION FAMILY
Catholic Weekly, August 12, 2007
Kagoshima diocese has welcomed a Spanish mission family trained in
the Neocatechumenal Way to work in the diocese. Alfredo and Emilia
Martinez, both in their 30s, and their six children, ranging from 10
months to 11 years old, took part in a mission sending ceremony led
by Bishop Kenji Koriyama on June 26 in the Kagoshima Cathedral. The
Martinez family are currently beginning their lives at Koshuku Church
on Amami Oshima with Father Jorge Luis Soza Pabon, 35, of the Takamatsu
diocese.
In an interview with the Catholic Weekly, Bishop Koriyama explained
why he was welcoming the Martinez family.
"My family is like many others, zealous believers who nevertheless
haven't handed down their faith to the children and there isn't any
parent-child interaction. I want people to look at this family. Even
the 10-year-old is saying, 'I want to be a missionary.' They are a
living sign of something we have lost."
While Bishop Koriyama is highly conscious of the diocese's long-standing
dependency on the efforts of missionaries, he wants to emphasize mission
to nonbelievers as an objective for the diocese and inspire families
with such models as the Martinez family.
Since conflict concerning the Neocatechumenal Way emerged within the
Takamatsu diocese in the past, Bishop Koriyama understands that many
people -- even among the bishops -- are asking questions
about the current direction.
"I want to see a living example of the Church that has come without
regard for nation. I can't guarantee that there will be no problems,
but I want Catholics to see something that might be lacking here," he
said.
In the meantime, he often confers with the three leaders of the Neocatechumenal
Way in Japan. The Martinez family has a five-year contract that also
envisions their being joined by another two families.
Bishop Koriyama explained that the others will come at some later date. "Until
the first group is settled in, we will hold off. For the time being,
we'll just do this carefully."
According to the bishop, the priests of the diocese were surprised
at the decision, but gave no opposition.
"I was happy that one of the priests gave me the reaction, 'Japanese
Christians are certainly dependent on pastoral care, closing in on
themselves, so a missionary family's impact could be huge.'"
Two priests associated with the Neocatechumenal Way currently work
in the Kagoshima diocese. Father Bernardino Orolfo, 44, a Filipino
who came several years ago, is currently an associate priest at Xavier
Church, serving the pastoral needs of foreigners, particularly Filipinos.
The Neocatechumenal Way has made some changes to prevent the sorts
of problems that have occurred throughout the country in the past.
Saturday Masses, a characteristic of the Neocatechumenal Way, are not
held at all in Kagoshima. Also, since April of last year, Father Pabon,
who works in Amami Oshima, does not celebrate Spanish Masses. In the
Takamatsu diocese, the Neocatechumenal Way became a problem when parishes
could not pay missionary families' living expenses, but this
time the Neocatechumenal Way will provide those funds.
Bishop Koriyama observed, "They have accepted 20 years of various
criticisms, have come to understand Japanese ways, have taken a reflective
look at what they have done and are working on changing."
Now Bishop Koriyama is calling for the start of a group to support
this missionary family.
"It's no good to only receive, only find fault, only fear problems.
Let's not risk failing to meet the challenging task for which we were
sent out by God."
OVER 2,000 ATTEND PRAYER FOR PEACE MEETING IN KYOTO, MT. HIEI
Catholic Weekly, August 12, 2007
 Over 2,000 people from 18 countries attended The Interreligious Gathering
of Prayer for World Peace marking the 20th anniversary of the 1987
Religious Summit Meeting on Mt. Hiei.
The August 3-4 gathering sponsored by the Japan Conference of Religious
Representatives was held at the Kyoto International Conference Center
and Enryakuji temple on Mt. Hiei in Shiga prefecture.
On August 3 a commemorative lecture and symposium were held at the
conference center, under the theme of "Reconciliation and Cooperation."
At the beginning, children from Boznia-Herzegovina and Hiroshima appeared
on the stage with a message and drawings expressing their hope for
the future of the world, "may the seven continents become one
in the future and national borders disappear!"
This was followed by words of welcome from Rev. Masami Yatabe, president
of the Association of Shinto Shrines and chairman of the Japan Conference
of Religious Representatives, an organization formed by Japanese Buddhist,
Christian, Shinto and New Religion organizations. Messages from Pope
Benedict XVI and Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations,
were also read.
Memorial lectures were given by a Christian and a Moslem. The first,
by Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious
Dialogue, was read by the secretary of the council, Fr. Felix Machado.
In the speech Cardinal Poupard said that religions have a duty to promote
dialogue in the midst of conflict, and called for the promotion of
a "culture of mutual respect" among people which begins with
minor acts.
Dr. Abdallah Al-Lihadan of Saudi Arabia explained that there is a tradition
of tolerance in Islam.
"The compassion of Allah does not depend on a race or skin color;
Islam also can contribute to the construction of a peaceful world," he
said.
These speeches were followed by a symposium of representatives of religions
from around the world. Catholic Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama of
the Jos diocese in Nigeria talked about various tensions and conflicts
in Africa and of how unequal distribution of wealth gives rise to many
of these. Comprehensive economic development would promote stability
and give birth to peace, Archbishop Kaigama emphasized.
During the symposium it was mentioned also that, more than religion,
peoples' enthusiasm for soccer can overcome racial and religious differences
and promote unity among the people of a country.
At the end of the third day, participants issued an appeal for the
release of Koreans recently taken hostage in Afghanistan. Their appeal
said that the essential meaning of religion is to "bring hope
where there is no hope," and they earnestly requested an early
settlement.
On the fourth day two forums were held on the themes "Interreligious
Dialogue and Cooperation -- For Building Peace through Reconciliation" and "Harmony
and Sustainable Living with Nature -- The role of People with
Faiths for Preserving Global Environment."
Later, the participants moved to Enryakuji temple on Mt. Hiei where
they held a prayer ceremony for world peace.
During the closing ceremony a Peace Bell made from the currencies of
many countries by the World Peace Bell Association was presented to
the participants. As they listened together to the sound of the new
bell they renewed their determination to work together for peace.
After each religious denomination had offered prayers, the participants
made blue and white origami cranes, symbolizing the sea and the earth,
and filled a globe with these, praying that the world would be filled
with peace.
Finally a "Mt. Hiei Message" was read out, and all renewed
their pledge to work together for a world where "racial and religious
differences which discriminate between enemy and friend would be cast
out" and "confrontation and hatred" would be replaced
by "reconciliation and forgiveness."
SEMINAR LOOKS AT INTERNET AND CHILDREN
Catholic Weekly, August 5,
2007
 The Catholic Institute for Social Research (Shaken) opened this year's
annual summer two-day seminar with a look at the impact of the Internet
and electronic media on children. Some 60 teachers, parents, Religious
and others gathered July 21-22 at the Shinsei Kaikan in Tokyo for the
seminar titled "Swayed to and fro."
Shaken director Satoshi Ogi, a parishioner of the Koju Church in Yamanashi
prefecture, explained in his opening address the history and distinctive
features of the Internet. Begun with the purpose of information exchange
among researchers, the Internet has become organized based on mutual
trust. He said that Gospel values have become increasingly important
as a necessary foundation for its use
Next, journalist Chisato Koriyama, World Christian Information chair
of the United Church of Christ in Japan, gave the title "The PC
and the Cell-phone World's Merits and Demerits -- Thinking in
the Midst of Huge Waves of IT Changes" to his lecture.
In addition to explaining IT (information technology) changes such
as Broadband (computer networks and services with high speed/high capacity
communication), Koriyama took the Wikipedia (an encyclopedia on the
Web with articles written and edited by users) as an example of the
state of affairs he assessed as, "gathering everyone's wisdom
to achieve some end."
On the other hand, he introduced both the fact that one can meet persons
or exchange money in online currency, buying and selling etc.-- enjoying
imaginary space as "a second life" -- and also the
search engine Google. He pointed out that because the Internet has
two sides, there is danger. He emphasized that people are made fools
at the beck and call of the things they themselves have made, but habitually
we must think "how is it bad to be at its beck and call?"
At the question-and-answer session, participants asked how to protect
children from malicious information. Koriyama introduced "filtering
services" that prevent the display of harmful information. One
participant expressed the opinion that though the Internet is convenient
as a tool, being in touch only with an imaginary world shakes the foundations
of living.
The second day's lecture was "Children, Media and Narratives" by
children's literature expert Atsuo Saito, a member of the Anglican
Episcopal Church in Japan. From his experience compiling picture books
and publications for young children and involvement in educational
institutions, he complained that, "too many children's minds
have been harshly abused."
Now, Saito explained, children's brains or hearts "have been dirtied
to a degree that cannot be believed." A major cause is the increase
in households that leave baby-sitting to the television. He pointed
out that on television, which pours out one-way information, one cannot
learn how to be involved in other people, while the brain is put in
a state of excitement. He said he also fears it creates obstacles to
growth. Saito added that though the Japan Pediatric Association is
calling for the need to control television use by children, the media
pay little heed.
"Children's contact with the media averages as much as six hours
a day," he said.
Continuing, he explained the importance of picture books and narratives
for children's development and introduced good books.
"There is a difference between knowing characters (letters) and
knowing how to read books. Children should read and hear picture books
up to age 10," he said.
In small group sessions, Saito, going around to each group, participated
in the exchange of opinions.
Finally, Bishop Kazuhiro Mori (retired Tokyo auxiliary) spoke on the
theme "From the Viewpoint of the Gospel" and called for the
importance of renewing our grasp of the Good News.
YOKOHAMA BISHOP TALKS ABOUT PASTORAL CARE OF FOREIGNERS, RESTRUCTURING
OF DIOCESE
Catholic Weekly, August 5,
2007
In April of 2007 Bishop Masahiro Umemura of Yokohama issued a "Basic
Policy on the Pastoral Care of Foreigners in the Diocese of Yokohama" and
a pastoral letter, "New Evangelization/Pastoral Representative
Committees for Common Pastoral Care and District Common Evangelization/Pastoral
Committees."
In an interview with the Catholic Weekly, the 55-year-old bishop spoke
about his vision for the future of the diocese, which has more non-Japanese
than Japanese Catholics. The influx of foreigners has made it the largest
diocese in Japan.
Speaking of Catholics from other countries and the attitudes of some
Japanese Catholics toward them, the bishop averred, "They are
not guests, but full members. We are not merely trying to reform the
system, but change peoples' thinking."
"In one church that has a Mass for foreigners at a fixed time
on Sunday afternoon, the time of the Mass was changed to suit some
event organized by the Japanese community without consulting these
people," the bishop explained. "They are not merely using
the church building, but many people think that's the case. These people
are our brothers and sisters. They are full members, and people must
realize this."
The basic policy was compiled by people involved in the pastoral care
of foreigners and had been presented at a meeting of the priests of
the diocese last year. Bishop Umemura also contributed to the document.
The renewal, which was prioritized in the 2004 "Basic Policy for
Renewal in the Diocese of Yokohama," involves the four fundamental
points of unity in diversity, theory and principles of complementarity,
respect for the talents of each individual and trust in the Holy Spirit.
"The source of fellowship and unity is the Mass," said the
bishop. "If we continue to try to come together around the altar
at Mass there will be unity in diversity and not conformity. And we
are planning to have foreign Catholics as full members of parish councils,
and the same accounting procedures for all Mass collections. We are
also putting effort into training leaders to educate children in the
faith. On the basis of these we are continuing to ensure that Catholics
of foreign nationality do not become a separate community in any parish."
As a follow-up to this policy the diocese plans to publish a series
of pamphlets with pastoral directives for the sacraments. A pamphlet
published last year with Church terminology in Spanish, Portugese,
English and Japanese will complement the new policy.
Bishop Umemura also spoke about efforts to streamline the structures
of the diocese. An Evangelization/Pastoral Representative Council was
set up in 1988 and replaced District Evangelization Councils.
"The previous Representative Council had more than 50 members
representing each district and every organization in the diocese. Since
its membership was large, we have slimmed it down so that it can respond
smoothly," said Bishop Umemura, who became bishop of Yokohama
in 1999.
The new council has representatives from each prefecture, representatives
of priests and religious, and includes the bishop in its total of 10
members.
The bishop said, though, that the new council is not meant to totally
replace local district councils.
"These councils originally dealt with the four diocesan priorities
of solidarity with Asia and Third World countries, the pastoral care
of youth, formation of the laity and environmental problems. Henceforth
we will respect the differences among the various districts and ask
them to decide their own priorities. The diocese will then take note
of these and support them as needed."
Meanwhile, the bishop explained, each district has been requested to
set up three branches.
"To be a Christian Church there are essential elements: prayers,
transmitting the faith and witnessing to our love. We will require
that these branches be organized. I have told them to move ahead gradually,
and we hope to have them begin around April of next year."
COUNSELING CENTER IN SAPPORO SERVES PEOPLE IN NEED
Catholic Weekly, August 5, 2007
Since opening in 2004, the Caritas Family Support Center of the Sapporo
diocese has provided consultation and support to people facing family,
medical, legal or financial problems. More than half of those who utilize
the center have no other connection to the Catholic Church and the
number of consultations continues to increase.
"Most of the people who come who have no place else to turn for
help. We don't just solve problems; we help people discern their problems
and stimulate self-help efforts," said Kunie Tsutsumi, a parishioner
of Sapporo's Kita 11-jo Church and founder of the center. When necessary,
the center also makes referrals to specialists.
In the case of medical consultations, the first task is to "grasp
the actual situation," not only clients' physical condition but
also their way of perceiving it. Then, with that as a basis, the center
introduces them to appropriate medical facilities. Doctors say they
appreciate the background preparation the center gives patients.
Tsutsumi said that by handling people who present themselves at parishes,
the center can also give support to the parishes or priests' activities.
The number of consultations continues to increase. The number of cases
in 2006 (849) was 28 percent more than the previous year. Until last
year, news of the center got around by introductions from related facilities
or by word of mouth, but, said Tsutsumi, "Last year, the insertion
of an ad in the Town Pages (phone book) probably initiated this result."
Tsutsumi considers the fact that 60 percent of the consultations are
drawn from people who are not connected to the Church to come from
the generally held image of the Church as a non-exclusive and dependable
entity.
She added that sometimes when the counseling process has reached a
certain point, a client might ask, "I have been all along unable
to get rid of the question, does Jesus really exist?" Commenting
on that, Tsutsumi said, "I think suffering people are guided at
every moment."
The center currently has two full-time counselors and seven volunteer
staff. These personnel can provide such wide counseling and support
activities transcending Church borders because local government offices,
hospitals, Protestants and Sapporo MAC (a support center for alcoholics
and substance abusers) have been built up into a support network.
The center receives financial support from private contributions of
others including teachers, government workers, and various Christians.
As an outgrowth of the center's activities, a Bible-sharing group run
by a Sister and another group using pictures as a means of correspondence
have formed as a place of comfort and peace of mind for clients who
have finished counseling and are easing back into society.
There have been cases of betrayal by clients, said Tsutsumi. They make
her downcast, but each time by exquisite timing help comes. Recently
someone who received \10,000 for transportation disappeared and the
center staff were reflecting on how to make contact when another person
who knew nothing of the situation donated 5,000(yen).
Kazuo Nagai, a parishioner of the Teine Church and a former businessman
who is in charge of "gathering people and money" for the
Center, said, "God's wondrously skillful providence is at work."
Tsutsumi added, "Everybody says we are directly taken care of
by God."
For further information, call Caritas Family Support Center, 011-252-5766.
FRESH VEGETABLES AND FREEDOM AT 'FIREFLY
FARM'
Catholic Weekly, July 29, 2007
Three years ago, Teruzo Kimura, 63, and his wife Masako, 66, members
of the Kofu Church in Yamanashi prefecture, built a two-story log house
called Hatake no ie hotaru (firefly farm) as a "healing space" to
anyone who wishes to relax.
The town of Showa, in which Hotaru stands, is renowned for its Genji
Fireflies. At Hotaru, the hope is that each individual will be able
to shine as leaders in their own lives, and that many such shining
lights, however small, will unite to form a brilliant blaze.
A notable feature of Hotaru is the fact that it can be used freely
for everything from group trips and tours to health retreats and solo
journeys. So far, candidates for the Salesians and middle school students
from Yamate Church in Kanazawa have used it as group lodging, and individuals
seeking heart's-ease have come as well.
Running the establishment with friends from Kofu Church as volunteers,
the Kimuras use home-grown vegetables to prepare meals for guests,
who themselves can enjoy cooking, too.
When preparing meals for visitors, Masako Kimura gathers vegetables
from the fields just in time for their arrival and welcomes them, for
example, with juicy cucumbers and tea brewed from fresh-drawn well
water. Then, after seeing her guests' faces, she goes to pick vegetables
for the actual meal.
"One of the things I enjoy is picturing the guests' faces while
gathering vegetables, thinking, 'I'd like to make them happy,'" said
Masako, describing the spirit of hospitality that goes into her meals. "Also,
it's wonderful thinking, 'Maybe I'll boil fresh corn and fill
the entire room with the delicious aroma to welcome them.'"
The inspiration for Hotaru was the deep impression the Kimuras received
from the activities of Hatsume Sato of Hirosaki Church in Aomori. Sato "heals" the
hearts of visitors by offering them home-cooked meals at her home in
Hirosaki City or at a mountain villa Forest Ischia, nestled comfortably
on nearby Mt. Iwaki.
The Kimuras used Teruzo's retirement as a chance to devote themselves
entirely to building Hotaru and cultivating the land. Each day, Akio
Wakaya, a 65-year-old parishioner at Kofu Church, comes to help tend
the field.
"We started working our land without knowing anything at all," said
Teruzo Kimura. "Soon, though, the neighbors helped us, teaching
us to sow seed by scattering it about. As for the building, we asked
a Protestant working at a construction company involved with public
welfare to design it after reading Hatsume Sato's book."
Last year, Sato herself paid a visit to Hotaru and spent time with
making memories--and hand-made rice balls.
Once each month, more than 10 Kofu Church parishioners involved with
the project gather at Hotaru for a dinner party. On the table, Masako
Kimura and Akiko Tamura, 73, might arrange nikujaga (a dish of meat
and potatoes) and salad made of vegetables from the garden, as well
as hand-made pickles and small treats made by the participants.
One of the volunteers, Kunie Anami, 77, said, "Coming here is
my greatest pleasure. You really can relax."
Akio Tamura, another volunteer, added, "The feeling of freedom
is wonderful."
Hotaru Cooperative Workshop, a workplace for disabled people, has begun
operations on one side of Hotaru's plot. Once each month, the Hotaru
voluteers meet to talk about the management of the workshop, plans
for lectures to be held on the premises and so forth, pursuing their
dream of deepening bonds with local people.
Hatake no ie hotaru is about a 15-minute drive from Kofu Station on
the JR Chuo Line. The telephone number is 055-275-8883.
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